In a dramatic turn that underscores the intensifying political crisis within the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the country’s military intelligence service has arrested Lieutenant General Jean-Claude Yav Kabeya, a man once regarded as one of President Félix Tshisekedi’s most trusted military allies.
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The arrest, carried out on the morning of June 16, 2025, has sparked a storm of speculation. No charges have been publicly disclosed, and the Congolese government has remained silent. In a country already burdened by war in the east, this development adds yet another layer of uncertainty to an increasingly volatile political climate.
General Yav Kabeya was a central figure in Tshisekedi’s early presidency. Appointed in 2019 as the head of the Maison Militaire, the presidential office overseeing military operations, Kabeya was tasked with protecting state secrets and shaping national defence policy.
But in 2023, he was quietly removed and replaced by General Franck Ntumba. The demotion came with no official explanation or new posting, raising quiet questions at the time. Now, two years later, his arrest seems to confirm a dramatic fall from grace, one that may have more to do with politics than justice.
Kabeya’s detention is far from an isolated case. Over the past several months, at least 29 generals have reportedly been arrested by Congo’s military intelligence services, none formally charged, none granted public hearings. Civil society organizations and human rights advocates have raised serious concerns about the legality of these detentions, accusing the government of bypassing due process.
Military spokesperson General-Major Sylvain Ekenge responded dismissively, arguing that the demands of wartime do not always allow for swift legal proceedings. But critics see a darker motive, a purge of perceived enemies within the state apparatus.
At the heart of the storm lies the unresolved tension between Tshisekedi’s administration and that of his predecessor, Joseph Kabila, who ruled the DRC from 2001 to 2019. Behind closed doors in Kinshasa, suspicions run deep that Kabila and his loyalists are actively undermining the current government.
There are whispers that Kabila may be backing the M23/AFC rebel alliance, which now controls significant territory in eastern Congo. Although the government has yet to provide concrete evidence, this perceived threat from within has reshaped the internal security agenda, and likely explains the crackdown on senior officers thought to retain loyalty to the old guard.
Could General Yav Kabeya have been caught in this web of mistrust? Was his past proximity to Tshisekedi’s seen as a liability rather than an asset in today’s tense climate?
In the name of national security, the government appears to be operating in near-total opacity, detaining top officials with no charges, no trials, and no public explanations. While such tactics may secure short-term control, they risk long-term instability.
These arrests threaten to alienate military leadership and stir resentment within an already strained defence’s structure. The public silence only reinforces suspicion: is this an attempt to clean house, or an act of desperation driven by political paranoia?
The Democratic Republic of Congo now faces a two-front war: one on the battlefield in the east, and another within the corridors of power in Kinshasa.
The arrest of Lieutenant General Yav Kabeya is not merely a legal matter, it is a signal. A signal that loyalty is being tested, power is being recalibrated, and fear is quietly shaping the future of the Congolese state.
The questions remain: Who will be next? And in this dangerous game of shadows, who really holds the power?
This is not just the fall of a general. It’s the unravelling of a fragile alliance at the top of a nation on the edge.
